The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-10-20
JACKSON JACKSON, THURSDAY OCTOBE

the next instant were buried again in
the black gulf; dashing over crossings
and over roads, on and still on we
went with the swiftness of whirl-
wind.
81 knew that there was a freight
not many miles ahead. In few min
utes we would inevitably dash into it,
and not mothers son on either train
could be saved The thought came
upon me with such an appalling rush
that invountarily reached out to
blow the whistle With catlike quick
ness Ziel struck my hand down, and
| fell in a heap on my box. The ma
chine was rocking and tumbling
about more wildly than ever. The
conductor evidently knew something
was wrong, for he rang several times
to stop. The maniac engineer only
laughed, and, tearing the bell from
the roof, flung it through the window.
| grew frantic Ziel yelled to me to
throw in more coal A moment later
he cried: Ohio, | see, | see! Warm
her up, Bob, warm her up! [ see
what's robbipg her Of all her heat.
I'll fix that all right I'll fix that,
you bet!
Before | could stop him he had
dashed through the front door Of the
cab. The next instant the headlight
flashed out-we were rushing along
into utter darkness, But | snatched
my opportunity, terrified as | was. I
grasped the whistle valve and began
to blow the alarm. It's first hoarse
hoarse below brought back the ma
MAC on jump. crouched as he
sprang for me, and picking up the
monkey wrench, struck at him. The
blow fell ON his breast. It half stag
gered him, but he rushed at me again.
Just at that instant the baggage
car opened and I heard shout and
saw men standing in the light. Ziel
halted as the glare fell upon his face
such hideous face as | never saw
before, and pray heaven l may never
see again. Then he turned suddenly
and made another plunge in my direc-
ton. [ was too quick for him this
time. The monkey wrench fell square
on his head. He dropped back into
the coal box like bag Of sand.
II sprang to the valve, snatched off
the sledge, turned on the air brakes,
and reversed her in way that knock
ed half the seats in the passenger cars
over, and threw nearly everybody in
the sleepers from their berths. We
were just rounding curve, and [
caught sight Of the tail lights Of the
freight-it seemed to me within touch
ing distance [ turned half around
to jump from the cab and saw that
Franklin's body was not in the coal
box-and then | fell in a swoon.
II was told afterward that Frank
lin had been found waking On the
track behind the train, and, incredible
as it may seem, this was the fact. The
train had stopped with the engine pi-
lot not three feet from the caboose of
the freight The sudden jar must
have thrown off Ziel, who had appar-
emily only been stunned after all by
by my blow. He had a fearful cash
in his head, but seemed to be as ra-
tional as any human being could be
when he got up to where the train
halted. But he could not remember
single incident Of that fearful night.
Drunk? No, sir; he wasn't drunk;
hadn't touched liquor for months.
Detectives looked into that and traced
all his movements for days before the
wild experience. Franklin was taken
down with brain fever afterward, how
ever, but he recovered. Some years
ago he became a conductor on the
New York, New Haven & Hartford
Road. He finally retired and bought
himself cosy home in Milford, Conn.
There was no return Of any brain
trouble until he suddenly went crazy
permanently. He is now in the asy-
lum for insane in Middletown, Conn.
AS for myself I never want to go
through another such night. Track
men told me that they never could
understand how that train kept the
rails. I don't know that, any more
than I know just why my hair has
been white ever since that fearful
night; but it's fact just the same.
It's also fact, though as [ said be-
fore I'm not superstitious, that / nev-
er have made trip since then on an
engine with thirteen in its number"